Members of the Denu Landing Beach have petitioned the Ministry of Fisheries through the Ketu South Municipal Chief Executive, Maxwell Lugudor to help stop unlawful fishing methods and unrest at sea in the Ketu South Coastal communities.

The members noted that the undersigned net owners and fishermen operating at the various landing beaches in the Ketu South, have in recent times witnessed some undesirable happenings at the various landing beaches in the municipality and thus need the urgent intervention of the MCE and the Minister in order to avoid any sort of problems in the course of the illegal fishing activities. 

The petition which is dated November 22, 2022, was intercepted by JoyNews after some fishermen have been accused of engaging in light fishing in Denu.

According to the fishermen at the Denu Landing Beach, since the end of the closed season, things have not been easy for them, especially those operating at the Denu Landing Beach, as their counterparts at other landing beaches from Blekusu to Aflao (with the exception of Denu landing beach) have resorted to illegal methods of fishing like poly nets, mono-fila nets, etc depriving most of them of good catches.

"We are quiet although we are very much aware that such methods of fishing are prohibited by law due to its dire economic implications, but it looks like these people cannot stop the operations now," they noted.

The group noted that an unfortunate incident occurred on Monday, November 21 at sea in Ketu South which involved some fishermen from Adina-Amutinu. They attacked a canoe belonging to the sister of the chief fisherman of Denu, Mr Narbi Alordo, accusing them of engaging in illegal light fishing. 

"In fact, these individuals so hit the canoe that it toppled and the fishermen on board had to fight for their lives and one of them was taken captive, tied with a rope and later sent to the Denu Police station and was detained," they said. 

The group is calling on the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development to immediately place a ban on the use of illegal fishing methods, especially the use of undersized nets which according to them are depleting the fish stock. 

They noted that these fishermen, instead of doing the right thing by practicing the right methods of fishing, are rather busily accusing other people of the same wrongdoings. 

The group hopes that the Ministry does something urgent about the situation as early as possible. 

The MCE for Ketu South, Mr Maxwell Lugudor pledged to send their petition to the appropriate authorities so as to deal with the issues at hand.

Mr Lugudor noted that his office is also doing everything humanly possible to make sure that the right thing is done.